Phonograph



E. L. HOLMES.

PHONOGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY26,1915- RENEWED MAR. 29, 1919.

1,391,543. PatentedSept. 20,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

"WITNESSES: INVESTOR E. L. HOLMES.

PHONOGRAPH.

APPLICATION man JULY 26, 1915. RENEWED MAR. 29, 1919.

1,391,543. I e Sept- 20, 1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2- TTNESSES: IN VENTOR TTORNEY I E. L. HOLMES.

PHONOGRAPH..

APPLICATION FILED JULYZG, 191 5. RENEWED MAR. 29,1919- Patented Sept. 20,1921.

\VITNESSES:

Arronsln' E. L. HOLMES.

I PHONOGRA'PH, APPLICATION FILED .IULYZE, 1.915- RENEWED MAR. 29,1919. 1,391,543.

I PatentedSept. 20, 1921.

SHEET 4.

4 SHEETS I gizm mwja UNITED v STATES EDWARD L. HOLMES, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

rnon'oenarn.

Application filed July 26, 1915, Serial No. 41,900. Renewed March 29, 1919. Serial No. 287,660.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. HoLMEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkele in the county of Berkeley and State of California, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Phonographs, of which the ollowi'ng is a specification.

ThisTinfifntionvrelates'to-phonographs, and has for its object to produce a'machine of this character which will be entirely automatic in its operation-to effect the repetition of the wholeor any selected portion'of a record, to disconnect the reproducer from the record and stop the latter at any predetermined position i the progress of playing, and to start it when the parts are moved to playing position; v

' This and other objects, which will later become apparent, I accomplishby means of mechanism which may be set either before or during the course of playing to automatically disconnect the reproducing device from the record and stop the movement of the record, or to move the parts to position for automatically repeating a whole or any portion of-the record, and acting also to automatically start the record when the reproducing device is moved to playing position.

' -One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a plan view of a disk phonograph, of the swinging free arm type, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a similar view with certain parts removedor broken away for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 3 shows a vertical, central, sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a view of the parts, takenon line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a detail perspective view of the plunger head and pendent trip arm em-- ployed i this device.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 66 ofv 1 ig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 shows a detail view in inverted plan,

of the locking device for the shifting mechanism.

Figs. 9 and 9 show plan viewsof the actuating parts of the shifting mechanism 1n different positions of operation and are taken on line 99 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 shows a longitudinal, central, sectional view of the air compressing plunger or dash-pot employed in my device for the purpose of cushioning the downward movement of the tone arm.

Figs. 11 and 12 show transverse sectional views taken on line 12 12 of Fig. 10 and illustrating the action of the locking mechanism for holding the plunger in position where the tone arm will be elevated. I

Fig. 13 shows a perspective view of the reciprocal trip-actuating device.

Referring more in detail to the form of my invention illustrated herewith, it will be seen that I employ a disk-phonograph of ordinary construction, comprising a cabinet 10, within which is-carried 'a motor 11 for driving the vertical shaftl2, upon the upper end of which are carried the turntable 13 and rec- 0rd 14. The phonograph also embodies a freely swinging, 'oivotal tone arm 15, to which is attached thereproducing device "16 carrying a needle 17. The arm 15 is rotatable within a support 18, which supportmay, if desired, serve also as a connection to the amplifier (not shown). It is obvious, however, that a sound horn may be connected with the tone arm independently of the support 18. 4

Within the cabinet 10, preferably hidden from view, .I have provided a supporting base 19 and a bracket 20, upon which is journaled a vertically arranged stub shaft 21 carrying a segmental driving member 22. The shaft 21 is preferably driven by means of a sprocket wheel and chain connection 23 from the shaft 1'2. On the upper end of the shaft 21 I have provided a crank arm 24', carrying at its outer end a stud 25 fitted to a scotch yoke 26, slidably mounted upon a horizontal rod 27 carried by the base plate. It will thus be seen that the rotary motion of the crank shaft is translated into a reciprocal movement by the yoke.

Uponthe head of the yoke there is formed a slotted curved arm 28, made arcuate with respect to the vertical axis of the tone arm,

and a pin 29 resides within the'slot in said arm and is fixed to a slidable block 30. The block 30 is fitted into a radial slot 31, formed in a segmental plate 32, which plate has a Specification Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 20, 1921, i

pivoted at 35 to the top portion of the cabinet, engaging frictionally therewith, .and having one portion projectlng beyond the periphery of the record turntable, which is provided with a thumb-piece 36, and havmg another portion 34 arranged below the top. of the cabinet and projecting horizontally to a position adjacent to the plate 32 where it is provided with a slot and pm connectlon '37 therewith. It will be understood from this that the adjusting lever 341s readily ac-' cessible to the operator and, when actuated, will cause the segmental plate 32 to be moved within the quadrant and carry with it the slidable block 30, which block is reciprocal within the slot 31 by means of its connection with the yoke 26, and on account of the curved, slotted head of said yoke such adjustment. laterally, of the slidable block obviously is not interfered with. Attentlon 1s called to-the fact that, no matter what the lateral position of adjustment of the slidable block 30 may be, its reciprocal movement plunger and has a right angular downward extension 45, and at or near the corner thereof there is'pivoted a bell crank lever 46 upwardly projecting and fulcrumed at 47 to the bracket 43', from which fulcrum it extends forwardly, and at its free end is provided with'a roller 48'adapted to engage with the lower surface of the-tone arm 15.

Theoperation of thestructure thus far described will be as follows: The normal travel of the tone arm, when the phonograph is in operation, is from theperipheryof the rec-- 0rd toward the center thereof, being actuated by the needle operating in the spiral.

ooves of the record, and in so moving the racket 43, on account of its connection with the tone arm, will be carried through the same ath. Therefore, the'pendent trip arm 39 wi l he -carried'along wlth the tone arm until it reaches a osition in line with the tripping lug 38. he arm 39 has a swing: ing movement inbut one direction on account of a pin and lug arrangement 49, shown in Fig. 5. This arm is also provided with a longitudinal groove 50 and is so pivoted as to allow a slight lateral'movement. v 7l ien, therefore, the said arm has been moved to aposition where its groove 'will he directly in line with the apex of the tripping lug 38 and the lug is moving on its periphe inwardly in its reciprocal path, an engagement takes place between the parts which causes the link 41 and plunger 40 to be moved inwardly with the lug. At or near the end of the inward movement a gravity locking pawl 51, carried on the dash-pot 42, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, engages with an annular depression 52 formed in the plunger and holds the latter against return movement, in which position, owing to the bell crank connection 46 with the link 41, the tone arm will beraised to a position where its needle will be disconnected from the record and will be positively held in its raised position. Simultaneously with the inward movement of the link 41 and plunger, the downward extension 45', carried by. the said link, will be moved inwardly to the dotted line position shown 1n Fig. 3.

' Upon the lower end of the extension 45 there is formed an arcuate shoe 53 lying in the same plane with the sector 22, as best shown in Figs. 9 and 9. The said sector,'it Will be'understood, is being continuously rotated on account of its driving connection with the motor. I preferably construct this sector with a row of brushes or bristles 54 ,and obviously with the shoe moved inward y to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 9 it will beengaged by the said bristles and swung laterally, carrying with it the bracket 43 and the tone arm 15. The direction of movement ofthis arm, obviously, will be outwardly from the center of the record.

For controlling the shifting movement of the tone arm and associated mechanism, and for releasing the plunger 40-fr0m its locked position, when the shift has been completed, I provide the following mechanism: A controlling lever 55 is arrangedon the cabinet of the machine opposite the controlling lever 34, and is likewise adjustably movable through frictional contact with a portion of the cabinet. It is preferably constructed with an accessible portion 56 and an angular extension 57 lying within the cabinet in the path of the pawl 51. The position of adjustment of this lever 55, therefore, determines the extent of shifting movement of the tone arm, or, in other words, the extent of repetition of the record. Its projecting end 57 will be engaged by the pawl 51, moving the latter to position for releasing the plunger and acting also as a butter to prevent further swinging movement of the mechanism. The plunger when released will be moved first quickly within its dash-pot and then slowly on account of air compression, and the upper end of the bell crank lever 46 and tone arm 1.5 are thus gradually lowered until the needle is again in engagement with the record. Simultaneously, with the first movement or the plunger, the frictional shoe is disconnected from the shitting Should it be desired at, any time to discontinue the playing of the machine, either before or after a number of repetitions of the record have been made, the operator moves the controlling lever to the right to its limit of movement, and in this position its arm 57 lies outside of a brake lever 59, which lies in a plane below the plane of pawl 5 and lever 57 as 'shown .in- Figs. 11 and 12. This lever is of bell crank construction, and extends to a position adjacent to the usual controlling mechanism 60 of the phonograph, as best shown in Fig. 2. This controlling mechanism, it will be understood, consists of a friction disk61 carried upon the governing shaft 62 and adapted. to be engaged by friction shoes 63, which shoes are ad ustably movable through a speed controlling lever 64. The brake lever 59 has a turned end 65 adapted to engage with a right angular vane 66 formed upon the pivoted brake shoes. When the shiftable mechanism has swun outwardly to a position where the needle W11 be outside the periphery ofthe disk, the bracket or arm 43 will strike the adj acent end of an upwardly projecting toe' 59' on the brake lever 59 and move it outwardly, thereby thrusting the end 65 of said lever in a direction to set the brakes on the governing device which, of course, will effectively stop the rotation of the turntable. The controlling lever 55, during this operation, may be so positioned outside the path of movement of the brake lever 59 as to engage with the releasing pawl 51, after the brake has been set, and the tone arm, therefore, will be allowed to lower its position at this time.

To prevent any possibility of the tone arm swinging inwardly, and also to assist in holding the brake, I provide a yielding looking device therefor in the form shown in Fig. 8, where it will be seen that a spring;

pressed, pivotedpawl 67 is so' positioned as to have its nose engage withthe lower end of the bracket 43 when the latter is in its outward position of movement. This engagement between the bracket and pawl is a yielding one on account of the slanted arrangement of the engaging end 68 of the latter. The tone arm, however, will be held sufliciently positive to revent accidental swinging or releasing o the brake, but a quick, manual thrust will disengage the parts and allow the mechanism to be swung inwardly, whereupon the turntable will automatically start its rotation and the o erator needs only to set the needle to start t e machine in playing operation. The usual stopping and starting lever may, therefore, be dispensed with.

The cycle of operation, briefly described, is as follows: v

When the parts are in one position of adjustment', the tone arm arriving at a predetermined position is picked up by. the tripping device, locked in raised position, and thereupon released from the tripping device. The shifting mechanism coming into engagement drives the tone arm back to a predetermined starting position; the locking mechanism, at the end of the shifting movement, striklng a stopwhich releases it and permits the tone arm to fall by gravity. In so lowering itself, the friction clutch in the shifting mechanism is disengaged and air is compressed in the dash-pot, causing the arm and its needle to move slowly into playing enga ement with the record.

11 the other position of adjustment, the stop is moved to position where it will engage with the tone arm when the latter is shifted outside the periphery of the record, thereby exposing a brake device, which, when struck by t e shiftable parts, is caused to be set; whereupon; further rotation of the record is prevented.

From what has been said thus far, it .will be seen that I have provided a phonograph which is entirely automatic to' control its operation. If a user desires to have a record repeated, this may be accomplished by setting the tripping mechanism and the releasing mechanism in the proper relation, either before or during the playing of the machine. The adjustment of these parts is'so fine that any portion of a record, such as a strain of music or a phrase, maybe marked out for repetition. The tripping mechanism, obviously, is exceedingly accurate and not liable to disarrangement or breakage. The apex of the tripping lug is-located on the central line of movement of the sliding block and conseuently moves always in a radial line with t e axis of the tone arm. The pendent triparm is likewise movable on a radial line from the center of the swinging tone arm, and when it engages the said In these radial lines coincide. Therefore, t e strain imposed upon the lifting lever and the tone arm during the tripping operation is an endwiseone such as to cause a clean vertical lifting movement of the tone arm without liability of thrusting the latter to one side and scratching the record. The head of the actuating lug lies outside of the line of movement of its apex in a direction away from the pendent trip arm. Engagement between these parts, therefore, is exceedingly accurate and refined. Moreover, the wedgeshaped construction of the tripping lug and the groove in the arm with which it engages insure a uniform position of tripping.

Owing to the yielding brushes 54 on the sector the shifting of the arm is accomplished uickly and without jarring movements. cushioning effect is had at the beginning of the shifting movement on account of the bending of the brushes, and at the end of the shifting movement the strained bristles will act to hold the arm against any slight return movement and prevent rebounding of the same due to striking the stop lever 57.

To aid in the adjustment of the tripping device, I preferably provide a staff 69 carried upon the segment 32, with its upper end 70 in a position to engage with the bell crank lever 46 when thepoint of the trip ing lug is in line with the groove in the pen ent arm 39. The staff, therefore, acts as a sight to gage the adjustment of the trip device. Simi lar means may obviously be provided for assisting the operator in adjusting the position of the releas ng device.

While I have shown and described'but one form of my invention herewith, it is understood, nevertheless, that it is capable of many modifications and, therefore, changes may be resorted to in the construction and arrangement of the several arts without departing from the spirit 0 the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, means carried by the tone arm to raise said reproducer from the'record. means for controlling the raising of said reproducer at any point in the angular movement of the tone arm, means to retain the reproducer in raised position, means to shift the tone arm when the reproducer is raised, means to stop the;

return movement 'of the tone arm at any point and release the locking means to permit the reproducer to reengage the record. 2. Ina phonograph, a record, a shiftable reproducing device therefor, adjustable means for causing the reproducer to repeat only a selected zone or part of the record.

3. In a phonograph," a record, a shiftable reproducing device therefor, means for causing the reproducer to repeat only part of the record, and means adjustable during the course of playing to permanently disconnect the reproducing device from the record.

4. In a phonograph, a disk record, a shiftable reproducing device therefor, means for automatically disconnecting said reproducer from any selected part of the record and returning the same to any selected part of the record to resume reproduction.

5. In a phonograph employing a sound record and a reproducing evice therefor, a swinging tone arm carrying the reproducer, means on the tone arm operable to disengage the reproducer from the record, and a constantly driven reciprocal member to engage with the means on the tone arm when the latter moves into its path for actuating said means to disconnect the reproducer from the record.

6. In a phonograph, a record, a reproducing device, lifting means for the reproducer, and a constantly driven reciprocal member to engage with the lifting means and disconnectthe reproducer from the record, said reciprocal means being laterally adjustable to ,vary the point of disengagement of the reproducer.

7 In a phonograph, a motor, a rotatable record driven thereby, a reproducing device coacting with the record, freely adjustable means driven directly from the motor for raising the reproducer to disconnect it from the record at varying positions in the course of playing, and separate shifting means also with the lifting'means and disconnect saidreproducer from the record at variable points in the course of the swinging movement of the arm,and yielding driving means engageable when said reproducer is raised toreturn the tone arm to any desired position.

9. In a phonograph having a record and areproducing device therefor and a swinging tone arm carrying the reproducer, means carried by the tone arm operable to disengage. the reproducer from the record, and a reciprocating trip device concentrically adjustable about the axis of the tone arm and engageable with the means thereon for actuating the latter to disconnect the repro ducer from the record.

'10. In a honograph, arecord, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, a radially slotted member, and a reciprocating trip device carried in said radially slotted member and adjustable about the axis of the tone arm for disconnecting the reproducer from the record.

11. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, a trip device for disconnecting the reproducer from the record, said trip device having a reciprocal movement, and actuating means therefor comprising a power operated crank member.

. 12. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, a trip device for disconnecting the reproducer from the record having a reciprocal movement, and actuating means therefor comprising a scotch yoke and a power operated crank arm.

13. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging 6O trip device for raising the reproducer from tone arm carrying a reproducer,- an anguof the tone arm, and means to preserve the,

radial movement of the trip device in all positions of its adjustment.

14. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, a reciprocal trip device for disconnecting the reproducer from the record movable in a radial line with the axis.of the tone arm, a quadrant concentric with said axis to permit angular adjustment of said trip device, and an arcuate slotted reciprocating member for driving said trip device. I

15. In a phonograph, a' swinging tone arm, a bell crank lever carried thereby for raising said arm, a pendent arm on the bell crank lever locked in one direction, and a reciprocating trip device to engage with said pendent arm to actuate the bell crank lever.

16. In a phonograph, a swinging tone arm, a lifting device on the tone arm, a pendent arm on the lifting device having a swinging movement and locked in one direction and provided with a longitudinal groove, and a wedge-shaped reciprocal trip device to engage with the groove in said pendent arm for raising the tone arm.

17. In a phonograph, a record, a swinglng tone arm carrying a reproducer, means car.- ried by the said arm for disconnecting the reproducer from the record, a member car-. ried by the tone arm and movable longitudinally thereof for actuating said disconnecting means, and reciprocal means fonoperating said link at a predetermined position in the angular travel of the tone arm.

18. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, means for disconnecting the reproducer from the record, automatic shifting mechanlsm for the tone arm comprising a rotatable frictional device and means on the arm to engage said frictional device when the reproducer is disconnected.

19. In a phonograph, a record, a swlnging.tone arm carrying a reproducer, means for disconnectin the reproducer .from the record, automatic shifting mechanism for the tone arm comprising a rotatable device formed with a series of bristles on its e riphery, and means on the arm engagea le with said rotatable member when the reproducer is disconnected. i

20. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm, carrying a reproducer, a reciprocal device, a rotatableshifting devlce, means on said tone arm to engage with the the record, and a member on said raising means to engage with the rotatable device I when the reproducer has been disconnected 55 for shifting the arm outwardly.

21. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, means for raising the reproducer-from the record and shifting the arm to position for retraversing the record, an automatically locking cushioning means to retain said reproducer in raised position, and adjustable means engageable by said cushioning means to release the same and permit said arm to lower gradually to reengaging position with the record.

22. In a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer,-means for raising the reproducer from the record and shifting the arm to position for retraversing theyrecord, and automatically locking cushioning means carried by the tone arm to retain the reproducer in raised position, and means engageable by the cushionmg means to release the same and permit the reproducer to gradually reengage with .the record, said cushioning means comprising a lunger and a cylinder.

23. n a phonograph, a record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, means for raising said reproducer, locking said reproducer inraised position clear of the Q record, automatic means for shifting said arm in a return direction, and adjustable means for releasing said locking means, said locking means comprising a"cylinder, a plunger therein, and a locking pawl for retaining the plunger in extended position.

24:. In a phonograph having a record and a shiftable reproducing device, automatic means for disconnecting the reproducing device fromthe record com rising lifting means, an air-compressing plimger connectbe lowered gradually into rengagement with the record.

25. Ina phonograph, a swinging tone arm' carrying a reproducer, a record, and automatic means for raising, shifting and lowering said reproducer to repeat the record, said means comprising an adjustable, reciped with the lifting means and movable outrocating trip device, a lift arm carried by the tone arm, means on the lift arm to engage with the'trip device for raising said reproducer, anair compressing plunger movable wlth said lift arm, means for looking said plunger to retain the re roducer .in raised position, a rotatable shi ing device, means'connected with the lift arm to engage with said shifting device, and an adjustable releasing device to unlock said plunger to permit the tone arm to lower when it has been shifted.

i 26. Ina phonograph, a rotatable disk record, a swinging tone arm carrying a refor the reproducer, shifting means for the tone arm, and means engageable by the arm when the reproducer has been shifted to position outside the periphery of the record to stop the movement of the record, said means comprising a brake lever, against which the tone arm is thrust by the action of the shifting means, and a friction brake device operated by said lever, and means movable into position in front of said brakedevice to interrupt the shifting of the tone arm and cause said reproducer to'reengage the record for repeating purposes.

27. In a phonograph, a rotatable disk record, a swinging tone arm carrying a reproducer, means for disconnecting said reproducer from the record and shifting the same to position outside the periphery of the record, a friction brake device operable by the thrust of the armin its latter position, said brake device being automatically releasable when the tone arm and reproducer are moved to playing position, and means movable into position in front of said brake-device to interrupt the shifting of the tone arm and cause said reproducer to reengage the record for repeating purposes.

28. In a phonograph, a rotatable record, a

swinging tone arm, carrying a reproducer, means for raising said reproducer from the record, means for shifting the reproducer to position outside the periphery of the record, a brake device operable by the thrust of the arm when the latter is moved outwardly to stop the movement of'therecord, and

means movable into position ahead of said brake device for returning the reproducer into playing position.

29. In a phonograph, a record, a shiftable reproducing device, a brake device means for automatically disconnecting said reproducing device fromthe record, means for shifting said device outside the periphery of the record, means for stopping the action of the record when the reproducer is in its latter position, and means freely adjustable during the operation of the phonograph movable into position in front of the brake device to interrupt the shifting movement of the tone arm and cause said reproducer to reengage the record for repeating.

30. In a phonograph having a record and a shiftable reproducing device for playing the said record, automatic means for manipulating the reproducer in a manner to continually repeat the playing of any portion of the record, said means being fully adjustable during the playing operation to render the same operable to move the reproducer to a position where it will be permanently disconnected from the record and incapable of further playing the record.

31. In a phonograph a shiftable reproducing device, a rotatable record, means for anducer having movement about vertical and horizontal axes,'a trip device movable radially with respect to the vertical axis of said reproducer, and a radially movable lifting device connected to said reproducer to engage with the trip device for raising said reproducer.

33. In a phonograph, a swinging reproducer having movement about vertical and horizontal axes, a trip device movable radially with respect to the vertical axis of said reproducer, a radially movable lifting device connected to said reproducer to engage with the trip device and raise said reproducer, and an'automatic shifting device for said reproducer.

34. In a phonograph, a swinging reproducer having movement about vertical and horizontal axes, a trip device therefor movable radially with respect to the vertical axis of said reproducer, a radially movable lifting device connected to said reproducer to engage with the trip device, an automatic shifting device for said reproducer, and means carried by said lifting device to throw the shifting device in operation.

35. In a phonograph, 'a swinging reproducer having movement about vertical and horizontal axes, a trip device therefor movable radially with respcct to the vertical axis of said reproducer, a radially movable lifting device connected to said reproducer to engage with the trip device, and means for shifting said reproducer. v

36. In a phonograph, a swinging reproducer having movement about vertical and horizontal axes, a trip device therefor movable radially with respect to the vertical axis of said reproducer, a radially movable lifting device connected to said reproducer to engage with the trip device, an automatic shifting device for said reproducer, and a locking device for said lifting device, said locking device including a dishepot, a plunger, and means for releasing said locking device at a predetermined position in the course of the shifting movement.

37. In a phonograph, a tone arm movable about a vertical axis and carrying a reproducer, means on said tone arm for raising the reproducer, and adjustable operating means for said raising means engageable lit) therewith at varying positions in the angular movement of the tone arm and arranged to apply its thrust movements on a line parallel with the longitudinal axis of the tone arm at all times.

- 38. In a phonograph,'a tone arm movable about a vertical axis and carrying a reproducer, attenuated means carried by the tone arm for raising the reproducer, said means bein movable along a line parallel with the longitudinal axis of the tone arm, and an attenuated reciprocal member movable in a path radially with respect to the axis of said tone arm and operable to contact with said raising means when the two are in aline- 15 ment to raisesaid reproducer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD L. HOLMES.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY. 

